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| Middle East |
| Settlers refused to accept Druze soldiers as guards |
| 2003-03-14 |
| Settlers in an illegal West Bank outpost refused to accept Druze IDF troops as part of the security detail at their settlement, citing "Halakhic considerations," which they said forbid the use of gentile soldiers to protect a Jewish family. Simple enough. Let 'em do themselves... The incident occured a number of weeks ago and ended with the Israel Defense Forces brigade commander insisting that the men assigned to the security detail be allowed to carry out their orders, overruling the settlers complaint. The illegal outpost is held by a single Israeli family with a number of young men providing additional security. Even though the outpost is considered illegal, and the IDF planned on a number of occasions to dismantle the caravans and evacuate the residents, the army continues to provide the settlers with security. This is part of a policy where the security of Israeli citizens cannot be undermined, irrespective of the legal status of their place of residence in the territories. The IDF maintains a permanent security detail at the outpost, comprised of two conscripts from a rearguard unit, whose role is to supplement the security of the settlers. In this case, however, when the settlers realized the guards were Druze, they insisted they leave the settlement and return to their base. The settlers, members of the "hilltop youth," considered to be among the most extreme of settler groups, argued that the presence of gentiles in the area, providing security to a Jewish family, is forbidden by the Jewish faith. This bunch sounds too much like their Paleoneighbors for comfort. To hell with them. If Israel's not a secular state, the Paleos have a legitimate beef. |
| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |